Tag: Commercial Tile

June 30, 2021

Commercial Flooring Isn’t Boring!

There was a time in the not-too-distant past that the number one requirement for commercial flooring was durability. As for the look, most commercial flooring was generally inconspicuous, with muted tones and little pattern – not exactly what one would call exciting. But commercial interior design today isn’t just about choosing functional materials that can withstand heavy use. It’s also about creating a comfortable, inviting environment and projecting a cohesive image that can positively affect the overall mood of those inside it.

Thanks to ever-improving technologies in the tile industry, as well as exciting new ways of thinking about design, commercial interiors no longer have to sacrifice beauty and style in favor of durability. Here’s a look at some current tile trends that are definitely not boring!

Bigger is Better

While 12” x 24” and 24” x 24” tile sizes have long been the norm, porcelain tiles just keep getting bigger. 24” by 48” planks (and even larger) are hugely popular and answer to the demand for tile that can handle spaciousness without making the flooring or walls look too busy. Using bigger tiles will also reduce the number of grout lines for a more seamless look.

Many GIO porcelain tile collections are available in indulgently large sizes. Shown here are (left) Tribeca and (right) Veneto in 24″ x 48″.

GIO_Thin 5.5 porcelain panels come in sizes as large as 39″ x 118.″

Geometric Shapes

Geometric shapes, including the timeless hexagon, emerged as a strong trend a few years ago and have remained very popular. Whether large or small, geometric forms are very flexible and can greatly impact the feel, tone, and texture of a space.

Geometry Options offers geometrically superlative selections for your every design whimsy. Shapes include hex, penny round, octagon, lantern, basketweave, and pinwheel.

Explore all our hexagon-shaped tile collections on our website here.

Patterned Tile

Patterned tiles bring character and pizzaz to commercial and residential spaces. Today’s floor tile designs feature exciting and bold patterns that are being used in new ways to create stunning interior design schemes. Whether you specify Moroccan-inspired tiles, Victorian, or modern geometric, the key to working with patterned tiles is to allow the floor to take the limelight. Check out our patterned, encaustic-look Vintage collection.

Wood-looks

Porcelain wood-look tiles are a boon to commercial environments where the style of wood flooring is desired. Thanks to the leaps and bounds made in print technology in recent years, and the choice of wood-look over real wood for a commercial environment is practically a no-brainer. With all the fabulous options available, you definitely do not have to trade high style for practical flooring that can take a beating. Click here for a look at all our fabulous wood look collections.

Modern and Sleek

Sleek elements, meaning smooth and polished, go hand in hand with modern design. And sleek, modern design is the name of the game in many commercial design areas today, especially in high-end retail and hospitality. Clean and serene, sleek and modern design is elegant and sophisticated in its simplicity.

GIO_Thin 5.5 in “Statuary Marble” offers a perfectly sleek backdrop for this modern setting.

Cement Inspired Looks

For the rugged elegance of concrete without the stains, scratches, and headaches of concrete installation, turn to cement-inspired porcelain for your commercial projects. Ardeisa, Athena, Fusion, Progetto, and Veneto offer concrete visuals in a durable, easy-to-maintain porcelain stoneware body.

Chromatic Design

Color can tell a story, and our new Colori porcelain tile collection is here to tell yours. Check out the ultimate palette with a spectrum of options for commercial spaces.

GIO brings you a carefully curated, on-trend selection of tile and stone products developed expressly for your commercial design projects. Each color, size, texture, and detail you see on our website has been hand-picked from global sources based on our laser-focused knowledge of what you need to take your designs not just from good to great—but from great to extraordinary. Contact us anytime — we’re here to work with you!

January 6, 2015

4 Reasons To Consider Stainless Steel Tile In Your Commercial Installations

A staple of commercial kitchens, durable stainless steel offers a bright and easy-to-maintain surface and is available in a range of colors and textures, including shiny or matte finishes. Stainless steel tiles have proven to be a great option for commercial kitchens for some time, yet they continue to grow in popularity as a stylish and practical material for a range of uses. Here’s a look at why stainless steel tiles are perpetually popular—and why you might want to consider them for your commercial design projects.

1.The Look

Ultra-modern and sleek, bold and industrial, perhaps even “futuristic,” stainless steel tiles are the essence of modern minimalism. The look these tiles can bring to commercial spaces is decidedly contemporary, but don’t think stainless tile should be reserved for strictly ultra-modern interiors. Even more traditional interiors can benefit from the metallic touch. Long used in commercial kitchens and baths (and for good reason), stainless steel tiles can be used to create striking focal points like fireplaces and fountains and for larger applications such as walls and ceilings.

Steel Bar & Grill in Sydney is a one-of-a-kind steel inspired atmospheres with a blend of polished stainless steel mesh and tiles, silver-gray timber and polished concrete walls.

Clad inside and out with stainless steel tiles, the Dream Hotel in New York is a shiny celebration of metal as a creative construction material.

Aside from the fabulous look and design flexibility stainless tiles offer, there are a number of practical reasons for using them in your commercial settings.

2. Extremely Durable

Stainless steel tiles are resistant to rust and the corrosive effects of food spatter, and because they are non-porous, they will not absorb liquid stains. They don’t break easily and will hold up well over the years, providing a great return on the initial investment.

3. Minimal Maintenance

The easy-to-clean nature of stainless steel tiles makes them an obvious and sanitary choice for commercial spaces such as restaurants and hospitals. Additionally, no special cleaning solutions are required – simply wipe them clean with some disinfectant and a damp rag. Fingerprints can be easily eliminated by wiping with a clean, lint-free piece of cloth.

4. Easy Installation

The tiles can be easily installed with a tile adhesive, saving valuable time and labor. If it is necessary to cut the tiles to fit a certain area, the installer will have to use a circular saw with a blade that has been designed to cut metal.

Photo credits: Click on images to view sources.

GIO brings you a carefully curated selection of tile and stone products developed expressly for your commercial design projects. Our looks cover a range of styles in porcelain, glass and stainless steel to transform commercial spaces. From retail and restaurants to hospitals and hospitality, we’ve assembled an assortment of collections in styles befitting the gamut of spaces you may be called to design.

December 17, 2014

GIO looks at Hotel Design Trends: The New Lobby

“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” While this adage can apply to anyone or anything, it couldn’t be more true for the hotel industry. Offering a striking first impression is, or should be, a top priority for any hotelier.

As the space where initial contact with guests is made, the lobby plays a major role in setting the tone and can determine whether guests will feel at home during their stay. Serving as reception area and gathering place, the lobby is one of the most important and prestigious areas of a hotel.

While hotel lobbies of the past mainly served the function of checking in and catering to their stay-in guests, today’s lobbies have become epicenters of social and business activities. With business travel at an all-time high, hoteliers are catering to this trend by providing multi-use spaces that offer aesthetics, comfort and functionality for guests to create networks and conduct transactions, or just relax and engage in casual conversations. New trends for lobby design feature “creative space segmentation” to provide business, intimate and social zones. Areas with tables for laptops, charging stations and plenty of outlets are becoming prominent in hotel lobby design. Even non-guests are now using hotel lobbies as multi-functional space, creating an increase in revenue for hoteliers in the form of usage fees or food and drink orders.

GIO brings you a carefully curated selection of tile and stone products that cover a range of styles to transform commercial spaces. From retail and restaurants to hospitals and hospitality, we’ve assembled an assortment of collections in styles befitting the gamut of spaces you may be called to design.

Credits: Click on images to view sources.